Unity Health
With the Covid vaccine deliveries still rolling in, we are proud to keep our vaccine clinics in full swing! So far we have vaccinated:
- Over 80s and healthcare workers 96%
- Care home residents 100%
- 75-79 year olds 98%
- 70-74 year olds or Covid high risk 95%
- 65-69 year olds 86%
- 16-64 year olds with underlying health conditions 82%
We have recently been asked to move to vaccinating those 16-64 year olds (cohort 6) who have underlying health conditions, whilst those in the age group 65-69 year olds (cohort 5), who haven’t yet had their jab, will be invited to attend a mass vaccination site. If you are in this group, we recommend that you book an appointment for your vaccine at one of the mass vaccination centres as soon as you receive a letter, as there will be a longer wait to be able to attend one of our vaccine clinics in Princes Risborough, due to our limited deliveries. If you do prefer to wait then do let us know and we will invite you as soon as vaccine deliveries allow.
We have received some queries from patients with asthma, asking whether they will be included in cohort 6. Not all patients with asthma are included in this group as cohort 6 only includes those who have had a previous exacerbation leading to hospital admission or are on long term continuous use of oral steroids to help control their asthma. The following diagnosis will also put you in cohort 6:
- Chronic respiratory disease
- Chronic heart disease and vascular disease
- Chronic kidney disease
- Chronic liver disease
- Chronic neurological disease
- Diabetes mellitus
- Immunosuppression
- Asplenia or dysfunction of the spleen
- Morbid obesity
- Learning disability
- Severe mental illness
- Adult carers who are eligible for a carer’s allowance or those who are the sole carer of an elderly or disabled person who is at increased risk of Covid 19 mortality and therefore clinically vulnerable.
- Younger adults in long stay nursing and residential care settings
Second doses
We have vaccine delivery for second doses to start on 11 March. We will be inviting patients for their second dose in order of those who received their first dose, so please do not contact reception as we will be sending out text invites and will be telephoning those who do not have a mobile phone number on their medical record. Patients should attend the same vaccination centre for second doses that they attended for the first dose.
Future NHS Plans
Nationally the plan is for everyone over 50 to have been invited for vaccination by 15 April. This may be through the practice or through the mass vaccination sites, we haven’t yet been informed. Whether you receive a text from us or a letter from the NHS please do book your vaccine as soon as
Rycote Practice
After a lull in vaccine delivery, supplies are now increasing again. The Rycote Practice will be running a clinic offering patients a first dose this Friday 12 March during the afternoon. We also plan to vaccinate over 1000 patients next Thursday 18 March.
We will have a team at Morland House surgery in Wheatley on that day who will be offering a second dose to all patients (over the age of 80) who were vaccinated between Tuesday 29 December 2020 and Friday 1 January 2021. We are currently contacting these patients to book their appointments. This is in line with national guidance to offer a second dose approximately 11 weeks after the first dose.
We will also be offering first dose vaccines to patients at The Rycote Practice on the afternoon of Thursday 18 March. We will initially be sending text invites to any patient in Cohort 6 or above (patients with underlying health conditions and those over the age of 65). However we expect to be in a position to invite a significant number of patients in Cohort 7 (60 – 64) as well.
As we move into younger age groups, a number of patients are booking to have their vaccine but not attending. Please let us know if you are not going to attend so that we can offer the vaccine to someone else. If the appointments offered by the practice are not suitable for you, you are also able to book a vaccination online at https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/coronavirus-vaccination/book-coronavirus-vaccination/
Things are definitely improving – infection rates continue to fall and in just over 2 weeks, on 29 March up to six people or two households will be able to meet outside. Please act responsibly so that we can all enjoy a further relaxing of the lockdown. Continue to wear a mask, practice good hand hygiene and observe social distancing even if you have been vaccinated. Stay safe. Protect the NHS. Save Lives.
Buckinghamshire healthcare NHS Trust have informed us that the Community Assessment and Treatment service (CATS) has re-opened within the Community Hub at Thame Community Hospital.
